Ostomates have always faced numerous difficulties with respect to their medical conditions. The numerous difficulties are presented in handling drainages that exit from the body through a stoma surgically provided to the ostomate, typically in the abdominal region. Attempts are continually being made to improve ostomy appliances and remedy the various difficulties faced by ostomates.
A primary problem faced by ostomates is that of undesired leakage around the containment appliance attached to the stoma location. Typically, a pouch for containing and holding the bodily drainages (i.e., human excrement, such as fecal matter or urine) is adhesively attached to the skin surrounding the stoma. Any type of relative movement between the surrounding skin area and the adhesive material will create a channel or a track through which bodily drainages will leak. Such leakages are the source of humiliation and embarrassment for the ostomate, not to mention the other problems associated with smell and damage to clothing. Thus, although many ostomates desire to enjoy an active lifestyle, the problems associated with leakage have such a tremendous downside that most ostomates have traditionally been relegated to a sedentary lifestyle.
Another problem faced by ostomates relates to irritation of the skin surrounding the stoma. A primary cause of skin irritation is the downward pulling force the pouch places on the skin surrounding the stoma as the pouch fills with human elimination. As discussed above, this pulling force may also cause leaks to occur between the adhesive material and the skin, which may cause skin irritation.
Still another common problem faced by ostomates is the mounding up of the skin and tissue surrounding the stoma. Although perhaps some mounding is inevitable from the stoma itself, such mounding is exacerbated when the skin and tissue are required to support the weight of the pouch containing bodily elimination.
Yet another problem that ostomates must confront relates to herniation. The stoma itself is a temporary or permanent opening typically created in the abdominal wall through surgery. Thus, once healing has occurred, the stoma usually protrudes through the skin and abdominal wall. Nevertheless, herniation is often caused by compromising the integrity of the abdomen due to surgery to create the stoma, combined with the weight of the pouch pulling the adhesive area of the pouch on the skin of the abdomen.
Another concern of ostomates is to protect the stoma from trauma resulting from external contact, which can result from an active lifestyle (e.g. sports, dancing, etc.). In addition, the stoma can become irritated from continuous and repetitious outside contact by clothing worn by the ostomate, or things such as seat belts in vehicles or airplanes. The stoma is highly sensitive and capable of being irritated or damaged by even a small amount of external contact.
In view of the foregoing, a significant need exists to provide an ostomy support belt that will minimize the risk of bodily drainages leaking around the seal between the pouch for holding the elimination and the areas of skin to which the pouch attaches, that will support the substantial weight of the pouch as it fills with bodily drainages to avoid skin irritation, herniation, and mounding of the skin and tissue surrounding the stoma, and to protect the stoma from irritation and trauma associated with external contact.